HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources Mar 10 2020Whatcom County
Council Natural Resources Committee
COUNTY COURTHOUSE
311 Grand Avenue, Ste 14105
Bellingham, WA 98225-4038
(360)778-5010
Committee Minutes - Final
Tuesday, March 10, 2020
9AM
Council Chambers
COUNCILMEMBERS
Todd Donovan
Ben Elenbaas
Carol Frazey
CLERK OF THE COUNCIL
Dana Brown -Davis, C.M.C.
Council Natural Resources Committee Committee Minutes - Final March 10, 2020
Call To Order
Roll Call
Committee Chair Todd Donovan called the meeting to order at 9 a.m. in the
Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
Present: 3 - Todd Donovan, Ben Elenbaas and Carol Frazey
Absent: None
Also present: Barry Buchanan and Tyler Byrd
Committee Discussion
1. AB2020-108 Update from Whatcom County Public Works staff on 2020-2024 Lake Whatcom
Management Program Work Plan Public comments received
The following Public Works Department staff presented and spoke about
public comments about the draft plan and changes that Public Works will be
making as a result:
Ingrid Enschede
Gary Stoyka
They answered questions about whether this is the plan that will be
discussed at the Joint Lake Whatcom Councils/Commission Meeting later
this month, why the Yew Street area has a National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System (NPDES), whether the Cities would have their own
NPDES permits, whether the requirement to reduce 87% of phosphorous in
the County's NPDES areas is spread out over several years, what three
groups submitted questions and feedback about the plan.
This agenda item was PRESENTED AND DISCUSSED.
2. AB2020-1 11 Discussion of efforts to improve the WRIA 1 Planning Unit caucus processes
Gary Stoyka, Public Works Department, submitted a handout (on file) and
gave a presentation (on file). He presented about the planning Unit
background and a proposed questionnaire that would be given to each caucus
each year. He answered questions about how Planning Unit caucus members
are selected, what prompted the reconvening of the Planning Unit in 2013
after they had stopped meeting in 2009 (Res 2013-025), whether caucuses
could participate if they didn't provide information requested by the
Council via Resolution 2015-004, whether the questionnaire (handout) has
been sent out to the caucuses, the authority of the Council and the role of
the Planning Unit in light of RCW 90.82, the weight of votes for each
Whatcom County Page 1
Council Natural Resources Committee Committee Minutes - Final
Other Business
Adiournment
March 10, 2020
caucus and for plan approval, get an Attorney General's opinion on the
Planning Unit's role after a plan is adopted, what makes the Planning Unit
different than other advisory groups.
Satpal Sidhu, County Executive, spoke about revisiting Resolution
2015-004 which provides guidance to the Planning Unit and suggested that
the Council take the lead and give assignments to the Planning Unit.
Tyler Schroeder, Executive's Office, spoke about looking at the relationship
between the Council and the Planning Unit based on Resolution 2015-004
and if they think that the caucuses aren't being represented appropriately
they could look at other examples of advisory committees while
recognizing the legal authority of the Planning Unit under RCW 90.82.
This agenda item was PRESENTED AND DISCUSSED.
There was no other business.
The meeting adjourned at 9:53 a.m.
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SIGNED COPY ON FILE
Whatcone County Page 2
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WA
Todd Donovan -via email 7/16/2020
Todd Donovan, Committee Chair